Polites vibex

Polites vibex, or the whirlabout,[1] is a grass skipper in the family Hesperiidae. The whirlabout gets its name from the landing and take off flight patterns of the adult – a circular or vortex or whirling motion.[2] It is resident from the southeastern U.S. and West Indies to eastern Mexico through the tropics down to Argentina. During the warmer North American months, it can sometimes be found as far north as Ohio, Connecticut, and northeast Iowa.

Whirlabout
Male P. v. praeceps, Tobago
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Hesperiidae
Tribe:
Hesperiini
Genus:
Polites
Species:
P. vibex
Binomial name
Polites vibex
(Geyer, [1832])
Subspecies
  • P. s. vibex
  • P. v. praeceps (Scudder, 1872)
  • P. v. brettoides (Edwards, 1883)
  • P. v. catilina (Plötz, 1886)
  • P. v. dictynna (Godman & Salvin, 1896)
  • P. v. calla Evans, 1955
     Year round     Migration
Synonyms
  • Thymelicus vibex Geyer, [1832]

The wingspan is 25–38 mm (0.98–1.50 in).[3] North of the equator, it flies all year and migrates north in late summer and fall.[3]

The larvae feed on grasses mainly at night.[1][3][4] Eggs are white and laid one at a time on the host plants.[5]

Description

The whirlabout exhibits sexual dimorphism.[4] Although the two sexes are about the same size with a wingspan of 25–38 mm (0.98–1.50 in), they vary greatly in coloring and pattern. Both have elongated wings but the male is orange and yellow and the female is dark brown.[5]

Male

From above, the forewing is orange with a black stigma and nearby scales that form a dark, four-sided patch. The forewing also has a jagged black border. The hindwing has a black margin that is smooth inwardly.[6]

From below, the hindwing is golden orange with large, dark, smudged spots.[4]

Female

From above, the forewing is dark brown with light colored spots.[5] From below, the hindwing is a greyish yellow-brown with a couple of bands of large brown spots and light central patch with dark scales at edges.[6]

  • Male
  • Male
  • Male
  • Female
  • P. v. praeceps mating in Tobago

Geographic range

The whirlabout butterfly is resident from the southeastern U.S. and West Indies to eastern Mexico through the tropics down to Argentina.[6] During the warmer months it can sometimes be found as far north as Ohio, Connecticut, and northeast Iowa.[6]

Habitat

Coastal plain grassy areas,[4] fields, dunes, pinewoods, roadsides,[6] disturbed areas, vacant lots, open woodlots, forest edges, parks, lawns, and gardens.[5]

Food resources

Caterpillars eat various grasses.[4] Adults eat the nectar of flowers.[5]

gollark: ...
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gollark: > “We thought my poor grandmother’s remains had been buried in accordance with her wishes,” growls Elizabeth’s direct descendant, Catherine Gratwick. “Can’t you let her rest in peace? This is her body that you’re messing with. You can’t just irradiate and poison her; you must ask me first! How would you like it if your family’s remains were exhumed and mutilated? You must never use cells from deceased people without the explicit pre-mortem consent of the patient or their relatives. As for granny - I insist that all remaining samples of her be buried, and that you financially compensate her family for the pain and grief you have caused!”
gollark: > Two generations ago, scientists took a biopsy of a tumor from a cancer patient named Elizabeth Gratwick, who died soon after. Without her knowledge or consent, these cells were preserved in the laboratory and proved to be exceptionally stable in replication. As stable cancer cell lines are highly useful for medical research, “ElGr cells” have been sent to and used by scientists all over the world. However, objections are now being raised by Elizabeth’s descendants.

References
  1. Polites, funet.fi
  2. Brock, Jim P.; Kaufman, Kenn (2003). Kaufman Focus Guides Butterflies of North America. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 302. ISBN 0618254005.
  3. Whirlabout, Butterflies of Canada
  4. Scott, James A. (1986). The Butterflies of North America A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford University Press. p. 446. ISBN 0-8047-2013-4.
  5. Daniels, Jaret C. (2003). Butterflies of Florida Field Guide. Adventure Publications, Inc. pp. 178–179. ISBN 978-1-59193-005-1.
  6. Opler, Paul A.; Vichai Malikul (1998). A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides). Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 377. ISBN 978-0-395-90453-4.
  • Whirlabout, Butterflies and Moths of North America
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